The Flavorful Way Dolly Parton Ordered Her In-N-Out Burger

In-N-Out has been around since 1948, and to those of us lucky enough to live near one, the many secret menu options may seem commonplace. Over time, the secret menu has become more known — in fact, the fast food chain even shares the menu on its website now — but this wasn't always the case. Dolly Parton, Tennessee born and raised, didn't grow up near an In-N-Out. The Southern California-born chain is only just now expanding nationwide and into Tennessee. So, when Parton was ordering her burgers Animal Style back in the day, it was a little-known way of preparing the dish. But, along with the more nationally available Whopper from Burger King, an Animal Style burger from In-N-Out is one of her favorites, she told TODAY.com.

In-N-Out has been making burgers Animal Style, which involves mustard-cooking the burger patty and adding extra spread and grilled onions, since 1961. Back then, the secret menu was a little more underground; In-N-Out didn't add the menu on its website until 2005. The style isn't just reserved for burgers, as you can get your fries made that way, as well. This adds a slice of American cheese that melts onto the hot fries, spread (basically a Thousand Island-style burger sauce), and sautéed onions to the fries. (My advice is to order the fries "extra crispy" so they hold up to the toppings better.) 

Parton was no stranger to California, having spent time in the state off and on since the 1970s, often while her famously introverted husband enjoyed being at home on the farm in Brentwood, Tennessee. So, as Parton told Ryan Fox on his show "American Country Countdown," when the singer asked her husband Carl Dean to order her a burger Animal Style, he balked. He was visiting her in California from Nashville, a state far from any In-N-Out menu discourse. Parton's bashful husband's response was, "I am not saying that!" In the end, he said it, and Parton got her burger. Later, she told him she wanted to go to Pink's hot dogs, to which he replied "I'm not going down there. You'll be having me order it doggy style." Compare this to Anthony Bourdain, another lover of the Animal Style In-N-Out burger, who called himself a "cheap, nasty, lowdown, trailer-park, burger-sl**."

Ordering off a secret menu can cause some people anxiety. My first time ordering Animal Style, I was afraid the cashier would stare at me like I was crazy. Now that Animal Style is on the website and known by the majority of West Coasters, ordering them is an easier task. If you're one to get anxious about ordering off the secret menu and need to know everything about what that entails before you open your mouth in front of a person taking your order, plan ahead by reading our guide to 23 chain restaurants with the best secret menus.